The Seeker
by PFT
Summary: After the Battle of Hogwarts, being an Auror seemed a lot less appealing than it had been before. Not sure what to do, he turns to the place he was most at peace, on a broom speeding through the air looking for a tiny flying snitch. Trouble might come calling though, but maybe it's for the best. (Pairings TBD)


**Prologue: After the Final Battle**

**July 17, 1998  
**_**Man-Who-Won to return to Quidditch?  
**__Penelope Clearwater- Quidditch Correspondent_

_With only a few short days to go before the Junior League Tryouts, one could be forgiven if they didn't think there were many ways for the excitement to increase. Of course, one wouldn't expect any more exciting prospects to have come out._

_Rumors are circulating that Harry Potter, the Boy-Who-Lived, the Man-Who-Won, will be participating in this year's tryouts. Sources close to Potter could not be reached to confirm any of these rumors, though League sources claim Potter and best friend Ronald Weasley met quietly with several owners and managers over the last couple of weeks._

_If true, Potter could be one of the top Seeker prospects in the talent pool. Potter has played a major part in making Gryffindor a juggernaut from 1991 to 1997, including capturing a trio of House Cups in 1994, 1996, and 1997. He captained the latter team, and further rumors abound that Potter would be tapped for the captaincy again if he went back to finish schooling. Several stars, including Puddlemere Keeper Oliver Wood and Bulgarian Seeker Viktor Krum have spoken highly of Potter's abilities on a broom._

_Quidditch Health Expert Reginald Pomfrey raised questions about his health though, saying, "Potter spent the last year on the run, and despite being slight for much of his Hogwarts career, he appeared to have deteriorated some at the Battle of Hogwarts in May. Given that he likely was subjected to Dark Magic including Unforgivables, there are valid concerns about his current health and ability to last a full season." Pomfrey did note, however, that "Potter likely will shake most of these concerns off in the next year or two, given his unusually successful recoveries from previous injuries."_

_With England's recent elimination from the Quidditch World Cup, one hopes the rumors are true, as Potter could prove a valuable asset in the 2002 campaign._

**June 7, 1998  
****12 Grimmauld Place**

Harry Potter, the Boy-Who-Lived, now the Man-Who-Won, sat on the roof of Grimmauld Place, looking out over London.

It had been a little over a month since the Battle of Hogwarts, and things had finally calmed down since- being honest, among the hardest parts were attending the funerals of those he'd gone to school with, as well as those of Tonks and Remus.

Harry sighed, thinking of the baby sleeping in the bedrooms below. _Dear Lord, please let this be the end and not history repeating itself. Hopefully Kingsley cleans up the Ministry…_

Harry was brought out of his musing by a tapping on the window. Harry lifted it to reveal Ron, wielding a pair of Pumpkin Pasties. "Couldn't sleep either, huh?"

Harry gave a small grin. "Couldn't sleep? Or didn't want to sleep?" He nodded at the sweets in Ron's hands.

Ron shrugged. "Thought you might want one." He handed Harry the Pasties, then pulled himself onto the roof. Looking over at Harry, he grabbed one back and sat down. "Penny for your thoughts?"

Harry looked at Ron, then at the sweet in his hand, then back out at the neighborhoods sprawling out in front of him. "I don't know what to do."

Ron stopped, mid-bite. "What do you mean?"

"Think about it- my entire life has been focused around Voldemort- until a month ago. Mum and Dad went into hiding, then they were killed because of Pettigrew. I was sent to the Dursleys for my protection. At Hogwarts I fought Voldie on an almost yearly basis… come to think of it, the only year I didn't was third when we were dealing with Pettigrew." Harry sighed slightly. "Everything in my life led up to the final battle. But now… now what?"

"You live for yourself." Ron smiled, a slight sadness hidden behind. "You live. Yes, Fred, Sirius, Remus and Tonks, Your Mum and Dad… they died because of you and what you stood for. Hope for a better tomorrow."

"But that's just it. I know I could be an Auror, and that's probably what people would expect out of me, but… I don't think I want it. Not anymore."

"You have every right to do something that you want to do, not what's expected. Nobody has any right to demand any more of your life than you have already given. But the obvious question is what do _you_ want to do?"

"I don't know."

There was a brief silence between the pair, punctuated by an occasional bite, chew, and swallow. This would be broken by Ron. "You know, you always appeared happiest when you were on a broom. And you were wicked on it- you could probably go pro without too many issues."

"Do you think they'd take it well? I get this feeling that people are looking to me to do more than that."

"So what? You're barely out of Hogwarts, and even then, only on a technicality. You'll ruffle feathers of the old guard if you go straight to the Aurors. Plus, you going and playing Quidditch could be seen as a sign of normalcy, and by Merlin do we need that."

Harry looked at Ron quizzically. "Awfully well thought out for someone with the emotional range of a teaspoon?"

Ron grimaced. "Yeah, well Hermione isn't likely to be fond of my plan to try out. Trouble is, I don't want to spend my life chasing bad guys either. At least not for another couple of years." He chuckled. "We saved the world once, and I couldn't make it through the full trip without leaving. I don't think I could do that day in, day out, at least for now.

Harry started to point out the Horcrux, but decided it was better not to. "I barely made it through myself."

The pair sat for a couple more minutes before Ron shifted moving back towards the window. Before he opened it, however, be added, "It's not a decision you need to make tonight, or even anything to commit to; we can go to the tryouts, and you can see if you like it. If not, we can find you something else. Mum and Dad would probably be more than happy to talk to you… but I'd probably talk to Dad alone first…"

Harry looked over at the retreating form of his friend, asking "Have you done that?"

"No. not yet. I don't think Mum will be well pleased… Anyways, good night, Harry." With those parting words, Ron was back inside, leaving Harry along on the roof, pondering the opening moves of a Voldemort-free future.


End file.
